From Jem..........

So I cannot believe that we are finally here..... I am sitting on a terrace in our hostel looking over the whole of Rio and listening to the birds eating the apple tree right next to me....It´s starting to sink in that this is what life is going to be like for the next year!

Yesterday´s departure from the UK was in true Jem and Charles style- we were up until 5.30am on trying to pack and then forgot to set an alarm so were luckily woken up by my phone going off....! An hour of mayhem ensued and we were driven to the airport by a very relaxed dad who suggested stopping for lunch.... Anyway we made it eventually and were waved off (twice due to a hitch in boarding passes) by my Dad, Charles´ mum and sister...it was very emotional and a really strange feeling which has been surpassed since on take off and this morning waking up in Rio!

The flight was long and boring as always, I annoyed Charles whilst he tried to watch films but at 9pm local time we arrived in hot, humid Brazil! It was dark when we got here so we jumped in a taxi and came straight to our hostel (well sort of straight- the taxi dirver got lost 4 times and had to ask for directions- yes he was a proper yellow one with a sign and everything) and here we are in Terra Brasilia, Santa Teresa, sitting on a terrace listening to the birds..... Not sure of the plan for the day- some preliminary exploring I think- we´re 4 hours behind you so it´s time to get some breakfast....